Fewer Americans have been dying from heart disease in recent decades. But the rate among women from 35 to 44 has not dropped. There’s no secret sauce for good health, of course, but now researchers have identified six commonsense lifestyle choices that they believe could slash heart attacks within this female age group.

The six anti-heart attack behaviors are: not smoking; exercising for at least 2.5 hours each week: watching TV for fewer than 7 hours a week; consuming a diet rich in veggies, legumes and whole grains but low in red meat, refined grains and sugar; consuming no more than one alcoholic drink daily; and having a Body Mass Index in the normal range.

The data showed that non-smoking women who exercised regularly and maintained a healthful diet lowered their heart disease risk by 92 percent compared with women who did not have those habits. They also had a 66 percent lower risk for heart disease factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or type 2 diabetes. Take those numbers to heart.

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